How to configure ADS Active Directory Service Step by Step Guide

How to configure ADS Active Directory Service Step by Step Guide

• 

In our earlier article we have finished all necessary pre-quest. In this article we would configure 

ADS. ADS configuration wizard can be invoked by thee ways.

• By running DCPROMO.EXE command
• From Configure your server
• Manage your server

No matter which options you choose all three will launch same ADS configuration wizard. I will show all methods

Configure your server / Manage your server

To launch manage your server wizard click on start button and select manage your server option

To launch configure your server wizard click on start button and select configure your server wizard from administrator tools.

Now click on Add remove a role

Now server will check the pre-quest which we have completed in our last article. Wizard would show error message if any of pre-quest is not properly configured.

Wizard will show a list of all tasks which can be configured. Select Domain Controller (Active Directory)

It will show summary for ADS configuration wizard after checking all necessary services.

Click on next to launch ADS configuration wizard

Same wizard can be Launch directly by running DCPROMO.EXE command in run menu

On welcome screen click on next

This screen show that win95 or earlier version of win NT4.0 cannot be the clients of Server 2003 Click on Next

This is the first domain controller in our domain so select Domain controller for a new domain and click on next

This is the first domain in first forest so select domain in new forest and click on next

Give the full FQDN name of server, we are using example.com for practice you can choose your own

Wizard will automatically generate NetBIOS name of server don't change it.

ADS is installed in NTDS folder, don't change its default location.

Sysvols is a publically shared folder. It would be automatically share on all clients.

DNS is required by ADS for proper functioning Select second options install and configure DNS on this computer

If you have any pre windows 2000 client in network then select
Permission compatible with pre windows 2000 server operating systems

If you don't have any pre windows 2000 server operating systems then select
Permissions compatible only with Windows 2000 or Windows 2003 operating systems for greater security features

Now set directory services restore mode passwords. This is used when you restore directory or remove ADS.

Click on next after review the summary of your selection if need change of any option go back and change.

Now wizard will configure all the options you have selected

If you are running this wizard first time then it need to copy some files form Server 2003 CD, Insert Server 2003 CD when it is asked

We will configure DNS server separately after ADS so skip it here to save time

Click on finish to complete the installation

System reboot is required in order to take place the installation of ADS

After reboot server is a domain controller. In our next article we will learn how to verify that ADS is configured properly.